Justice Surya Kant Appointed as 53rd Chief Justice of India: A Profile of His Landmark Verdicts and Legal Legacy

New Delhi:

Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India and will assume office on November 24. He will succeed Chief Justice BR Gavai as the highest judicial authority in the country.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed the appointment on social media platform X, stating: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24..." He added, "I convey my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him."

Justice Surya Kant, who was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019, will become India's 53rd Chief Justice. His tenure will span 14 months, as he is scheduled to retire on February 9, 2027, in accordance with the retirement age of 65 for Supreme Court judges.

Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district of Haryana, Justice Kant brings two decades of distinguished legal experience to the position. His career is marked by landmark verdicts including the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, and significant rulings concerning free speech, democratic principles, corruption, environmental protection, and gender equality.

He was a member of the bench that suspended the colonial-era sedition law, instructing that no new police cases be registered under it pending government review. In another notable decision highlighting electoral transparency, he directed the Election Commission to disclose details of 65 lakh names removed from draft electoral rolls following a contentious special revision.

Justice Kant is also recognized for mandating that one-third of seats in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women. He upheld the One Rank-One Pension scheme for military personnel, declaring it constitutionally valid, and has heard petitions from women seeking equality in permanent commissions.

Additionally, Justice Surya Kant participated in the bench that heard the Pegasus spyware case, which appointed cyber experts to investigate allegations of unlawful surveillance. During these proceedings, he famously declared that the state cannot receive a "free pass under the guise of national security."